Inhaler mask with visual means



Sept. 1, 1959 E. A. GALLEHER, JR 2,902,033 Q INHALER MASK WITH VISUALMEANS Filed April 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 624/5 44. 6/111.'l/E/Qk E. A. GALLEHER, JR 2,902,033

' INHALER MASK WITH VISUAL MEANS Sept. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril 15, 1958 R. m 4m d 5 W 7 6.

United States Patent INHALER MASK wrrH VISUAL MEANS- Ellis ArGalle'her,Jr., Sarasota, Fla. Application April .15, 1195s, Serial No. 728,606

2 Claims. Cl. 128-146 This invention relates to inhaler masks andis animprovement in maskslof-the .type shownin my copending applicationsSerial Nos. 407,081, filed January 29., 19.54; 477,972, filed December'28, 1954, and 615,970, filed October 15., 1956.

Heretofore, .so far as .I amaware, inhaler masks employed in theadministration of anesthetics, while efiective for the purpose, did notprevent observation .of :the patients condition as might be indicated bythe color of the patients lips as an index to the oxygen content theblood, or by the activity in the breathing, as indicated by the degreeof fogging within the mask, or even the presence of vomitus inmthe mask,without lifting orremoving the mask-from:the,fac.e. Aspiration ofvomitus is one-of the lead-ingacauses of:anesthetic :ideaths. Withoutvisual means in the mask, .dangerous conditionsmay exist which-mightpassunnotioed unless the-mask is lifted or removed. In .suchsevent,there-is loss of timeandgas.

One of the objectsof this invention isto provide a mask -of'the inhalertype .and preferablyiormed otelectr-ically .conduetivedatex.or rubber.and having a peripheral cell for contouring the-mask totheiacial-icontour to which ,it'is appliedand to providedntsuch a maskmeans .whenebythe area pf-the patienfis face coveredby the mask; usemaybe. observledirorn theexter-iorof the maskithereby permitting theattendantidirect observation of-the color-,of .thepatients. lips asan-indeX: toithe oxygen content in blood, and {QnObSfiH/fi breathingconditions as wellaas the presence of ,vorn-itus. -.All.thes.e ,factorsare of. prime importance :in :mainta ning .a high .degree of safety 1 inrthe administration of anesthetics.

, A -fu-rther object of the invention 1 is the provision of wisual ameans in 4 the Mall-of; an inhaler type I mask which will insure ahigher safety factor in the use of thevmask for the application ofanesthetics.

Another :ohject of thednvention is to provide visual means inopposedwallsnf masks-hereby permitting more light to enter the mask inuse. v I

A further and importantobjeet of-the-inventionis the provision ofvisualmeansin/a mask ,of the inhaler type ,whichgmay ,be kept free ofcondensation while in .nse.

The degree-rot logging of the visual means is,.,of'course, anindex to'the "degree of activity in the patients breath- Another object of theinvention is a mask of the above identified type and having transparentwindows in its side walls and having associated with said windows wipermeans may be operated from the outside of the mask by the attendant tokeep the inner surfaces of the windows clear of condensation or vaporwhich otherwise would collect and cloud the vision through the windowsduring the use of the mask in supplying anesthetics and other gases tothe patient.

A further object is a mask construction possessing extremely high safetycharacteristics in combining Visual means for observation of thepatients condition, such as breathing, oxygen content in the blood, orthe presence of vomitus, together with an electrical conductive mask2,902,033 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 2 body for grounding theypatient to theanestheticmachine to eliminate theipossibility of explosion due .tostatic discharges in the presence of the anesthetic gas.

Other objects and advantages of this invention Will become more apparentas'it-he-fol-lowing description of an embodiment thereofprognesseareference being made to the accompanying drawing in which likereference characters are employed to designate likeparts throughout thesame.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 ,is a viewsof a mask ineorporatingmy invention as seen fromthe-rearof the mask,-,that is, that portion which engages the facialcontour ofthepatient;

Figure 2- is a section .taken on line 2-.2 of, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken .on line.3.3 of Figure .1;

Figure 4.is anenlargedisectional view through ,one of the windows of themask and illustrates one form of means for removing rcondensationtfromtheinner surface of the pane;

Figure 5 is anenlarged view 20f a modified form of means whereina'wiperais movably mounted in and carried bythe panemroviding a Windowand wiperamit which may readily be assembled as a unitin .an aperturedwall ofthemask;

Figure ,6 .is a sectional view .takenon line 6.6.,of Figure 5;

Figure -,7 isra further modified form of-the window and wiper means inwhich the wipertis carriedby and supported in the mask wallsrand forwiping engagement with AIEQiHiEbIBpPQQQJHOlLHItidiH thetmask side walls;

.Figure Bis-a viewtaken ou line 8-.8 of. Figure 7; and

Figure *9, is a .iiurther-modification of the invention'in whichthevvisualmeans .constitutesa double walled pane having lowthermalconductivity.

Referringfirstto-Figures -1 ,through 4 which illustrate one embodimentof the ,present invention, 1 providea mask ,body ,formed ,preferably ofelectrical conductive latex or rubber or otherssuitablematcttialcomprising for wardly convegngingwal'ls which terminateiorwardlyvin .a gas inlets-nipple ,2 .whichrnay secured by suitable.means to a vhosesupplying gas to theinterior of the mask.

The *forrn of the vmaskperfenably.ernployed is one which isproyidedtwithsa peripheral ,cell such, as shown at r3formed,inte,gra11ywithdhetmask walls l andwwhich .containsa.filler cornprising-a mass.offi ely divided'resi- .lient infiatableparticles characterized bytheirability .120 move rover-one another andzto be, compressednnder alightfor-ce of compressionas when applyingthemaskto the contour .of thepatients face-this rcellzbeingvalved to the outside atmosphereby means.of -a valve 4 .so'that when the .maskis pressed against ,theiac-e of thewearer themaskwas applied.

While I am aware that precautions .arentaken-intthe administration ofanesthetics to a patient wearing a mask through which the condition ofthe patients lips cannot be observed, the present invention provides aneven greater degree of safety because it provides, in addition, a visualmeans by which the color of the patients lips, or his breathingactivity, as well as the presence or absence of vomitus, may be observedwhile the mask is in place and in use, thus obviating the necessity ofremoving the mask to observe the patients appearance during theadministration of the anesthetic or other gases.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 through 4, the sidewalls of the mask are provided with openings 5 and 6 which may becircular or at least of arcuate shape. The peripheral walls forming theopenings are also channeled as at 7 and 8, respectively, to receive therespective transparent panes 9 and 10 and to retain them securely in theposition shown and, at the same time, preventing the leakage of gasesaround the transparent panes or windows.

As the patient breathes with the mask in place, there is the problem ofaccumulation of condensation of moisture upon the inner surface of thetransparent panes 9 and 10. According to this form of the invention, Iprovide means operable from the exterior of the mask whereby the windowsor panes may be wiped clear of such condensation that forms thereon fromtime to time during the use of the mask, thus providing clear vision tothe interior of the mask from the outside, permitting the attendant toob serve the reaction and condition of the patient. Such means includesa wiper arm 11 containing a wiper blade 12 of suitable material, such asrubber, plastic or felt material, the arm 11 terminating at one end in ahub 13 which is keyed at 14 to the shaft 15. The shaft 15 extendsthrough a bearing sleeve 18 carried in the mask body 1 and terminatesoutside the mask. An operating knob 16 is keyed at 17 to the outer endof the shaft 15 and has bearing engagement against the bearing sleeve 18in which the shaft 15 is mounted for oscillatory movement therein.

It will be seen that by oscillating the knobs 16 that the wipers 12 willbe caused to traverse the inner surfaces of the transparent windows orpanes 9 and 10 and wipe away any deposit of condensation which mayappear during the use of the mask.

In Figures and 6, I have illustrated a modified form of the inventionwhich may be described as comprising a window of transparent material 20which may be secured within channels in the opening in the masks sidewalls in a manner similar to that shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, that is,by the provision of a suitable channel 21 into which the window 20 maybe inserted in sealing relation so as to prevent the leakage of gasesfrom the interior of the mask when the mask is in use. In thisembodiment of the invention, I provide a wiper arm 22 having a blade 23in wiping contact with the interior surface of the window. The arm 22 iscarried on a shaft 24 which operates in a central opening in the window20 and terminates on the outer side of the window in a knob 25 by whichthe wiper arm may be caused to rotate through a full 360, or by whichthe same may be merely oscillated to clear the area required for propervisual observation of the patients lips. This form of the inventionrequires no mounting of the operating knob and shaft in the wall of themask since the same is carried in the transparent window itself andtherefore the entire unit, as a unit, may be inserted in the channeledopenings of the mask.

In Figures 7 and 8, I have illustrated a still further modified form ofthe present invention in which the transparent window 30 may be rotateda full 360 by means of a window knob 31 while the Wiper 32 and its blade33 remain stationary with respect to the mask wall. The ends of theWiper, as at 34 and 35, are embedded in or secured to the mask wall andanchored in such position so that the wiper 33 will have wipingengagement with the inner surface of the pane 30.

In Figure 9, I have illustrated another form of the invention in whichthe visual means consists of a double walled transparent window mountedin the mask side walls. Each window comprises the spaced apart panes 40and 41 enclosing an evacuated air space 42, and provides a visual meansof sufficiently low thermal conductivity as to prevent condensation ofmoisture on the inner surface of the inner pane, thus insuring clearvisibility through the windows at all times for the observance ofconditions Within the mask during the administration of anesthesia gas.In the carrying out of the form of the invention, the use of wipers maybe eliminated.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention affords a high degree ofprotection to the patient by providing a mask body of electricallyconductive latex or rubber together with means for visual observation ofthe patients lips when the mask is in place and in use. Furthermore, itwill be seen that the several embodiments of the invention are ofextreme simplicity in construction, effective in use and are so mountedwith respect to the mask that clear vision is afforded to observe theconditions existing within the mask. In each of the constructions shown,leakage of the gases, introduced into the mask, is prevented.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the spiritthereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an inhaler mask, a hollow mask body having a gas inlet at one endand open at its opposite end for sealing contact with the facial contourof the patient, said body having avisual pane for observing thecondition of the patients lips when the mask is in use, and relativelymovable means in contact with the inner surface of the pane for removingcondensation deposited thereon, said means comprising a fixed wipermember anchored in the mask body and traversing said pane, said panebeing rotatably mounted in said mask body wall.

2. In an inhaler mask, a hollow mask body having a gas inlet at one endand open at its opposite end for sealing contact with the facial contourof the patient, said body having a visual pane for observing thecondition of the patients lips when the mask is in use, and relativelymovable means in contact with the inner surface of the pane for removingcondensation deposited thereon, said means comprising a fixed wipermember anchored in the mask body and traversing said pane, said panebeing rotatably mounted in said mask body wall, and means carried by thepane for relatively rotating said pane and wiper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,765,78& Raiche Oct. 9, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 305,080 Great Britain Jan.29, 1929 866,493 France May 19, 1941

